Memory Cloth

I saw this over at livingetc. and thought it is a great idea for the upcoming holidays...this is so something I would do. Host a dinner party, Thanksgiving, Holiday, New Years and have friends and family jot down a thought, inspiration, dream, wisdom, (oh heck anything they want) and then follow the simple steps to a lasting memory cloth...could even fold and sew one whole side into a loop to hang on a cool rod as a wall hanging for a spell...or take out the following year to have a laugh, I can see having a New Years dinner party and the theme for the memory cloth would be a dream/goal for the following year. Then come together again the following year (for another New Years party, love that) to enjoy the follow ups ...do a new one each year...well, it's all very fun and festive...I like it.

My schedule probably would not allow for embroidery (see Step 3 below) time, so I am thinking some cool fabric pens would do the trick..keeping with one or two colors...or say gold or silver...just a thought. But if you have the time the embroidery idea is a great one and it would look quite sharp.

STEP 1: What you need: A heavy-duty linen tablecloth, a water-erase pen, embroidery threads, embroidery needles and scissors.

STEP 2: Get your guests to write messages directly onto the tablecloth with the water-erase pen. Top tip: Write larger letters than normal so the words are clear when they're sewn.

STEP 3: After the party is over, backstitch over the ink at your leisure. Try to keep the stitches on the lines and of a uniform length (about 2cm). Once sewn, rub with a damp cloth to remove the ink.

Art is wonderful...

Well, besides being a best friend, a holder & maker of memories we carry in our hearts and laugh about over and over again & all around great soul...this artist is amazing (& very dear to my heart) and so it only seems right to share what a wonderful addition art makes to any space here on my blog.

She recently paid us a visit and my heart is full of happiness at seeing her and spending some wonderful times, but the same heart is heavy with missing that very person.

Vibrant, colorful and unique prints to inspire & beautify.

I love to buy art when I travel, it may be just a small piece, but to have a memory and connection to somewhere I have been which I can then hang or display in my home is priceless to me, each time I pass it or look upon it, I am taken back to that moment in which I found it and was drawn in some way.

This art does that to me, perhaps because it is like a old friend (so is the artist) or because the colors relax and inspire me at the same time, but when I see it I smile and my soul fills.

Married to the man...

When you are married to the man who does everything...in that sense I mean he is a fix all, do all, and mainly paint all guy, sometimes you just have to stop and say Thank You to whatever forces brought about this wonderful being in your life.
As a professional painter this man has the eye and the knack for turning a boring room into something spectacular.

So, just to let you know, we are living in a house that should, and will, have a blog site all it's own when the work truly begins...we are going to be doing a complete and simply wonderful remodel to what was my parents' home.

My family of 4 (2 wee ones, my husband, plus moi) live here now, and as much as we love it, and the bones are standing for our mid-century home to exist, there is so much to do and such a budget to find in order to do it all, to be quite honest.

However, this weekend we have some old friends coming to town and we all know that nothing lights a fire more than visitors to get a few things, major and minor, moving along in one's house....so my gracious, and most amazing, husband, after working all day, is painting our entry...my long desired white...yep, I am moving into the white zone for backdrop, it makes blending all other variations of color so smooth.

Having a more white backdrop (canvas if you will) makes it so easy to bring in a variety of colors into a space.
So, here is the man (perhaps not at an angle completely welcomed by all in above shot) but the point is that our men are so gracious and we need to always recognize that fact.

And this is our brand new chalkboard pocket door at the entry to greet guests and all that enter. I will shoot a pic when we write on it (that rhymed).
Have a lovely evening.

KZ

Home on the road

I wish wish wish I had pictures of our 73' Terry trailer when we got our hands on it years ago and the mini transformation we made to our wee home on the road. I will take some shots this weekend to share. However, I am getting ready to do a small overhaul in decor so maybe these will be befores and then afters will come soon...if the man has his way, he would like to do a complete makeover (tear it apart), but I say facelift, my dearest, facelift will do just fine.

Regardless, we are heading out on a family-downtime-getaway in our rolling pad.

Long walks, quiet sunsets, knitting by the fire, soft breezes whispering the secrets of the sea in our windows at night, dirty hands, feet and faces from day long playing outdoors, surrounded by good friends...I am ready.
I shall return next week with some goodies.

Excuse the lag in blog posts, I am not quite sure how time slips away so darn quickly.

So, have a beautiful weekend and make sure you stop to enjoy where you are, be it home or away.
Toodaloo.

KZ

Bliss

Just some blissful pictures to leave with you with for the weekend and may you relax into next week...

Love this idea for outdoor dining on the patio, I can see ferns, maybe some stones scattered with more leaves throughout the table.

I would give anything to relax here for an afternoon of reading, snoozing and just pondering life.

All photos by Annika Vannerus

Simple, crisp and earthy...I am ready for an evening of friends, laughter and quiet conversations.
Creating spaces with pieces that are special to you and which evoke a sense of calm is what makes lifes pressures fade and truly ground us at home. Set the stage for your own peace of mind.

What do you do to create a relaxing space?

Light up your life

Often at dinnertime, even amongst surrounding craziness that occurs with 2 wee ones and 2 four legged lovelies, I get down a few of my votives (leftover from our wedding over 9 years ago, we had them all over the tables)...and I light candles on the dinner table and set on the mantle as well.

This always somehow relaxes me, the act of lighting them and then the warm glow and soft light make our dinnertime very intimate (yes, even with wee ones) and feels special in a quiet way. Then of course, after dinner everyone makes a wish and blows out a candle or two.

Here are some inspirational and idea sparking ways to display candles I came across and thought I would share, some are great for upcoming holidays or just anytime.

A lovely way to greet guests...

Print something special in a fun font, personal or relating to your event (what you are thankful for at Thanksgiving even naming those at the table) on parchment paper and attach to outside of simple glass candle holder.

I love candlelight, in bathrooms, in bedrooms, on tables, outside, you name it, candlelight just adds that special something to a space.

Of course, you must be careful, and take extra caution with little ones and pets as well.

A fresh and new way to use your pie platters, I might even add a little something around the candles, sand, pebbles, stones, greenery...

Wine glasses transformed.

And then champagne flutes flipped
(make sure the rims are thicker style).

Easy holiday table decor, wrap with wire whatever your heart desires

(could be any holiday!)...think of the possibilities; spiders, webbing, stones, moss, berries, acorns, feathers...oh my the list is limitless! Fun stuff.

Or line them on the stairs...so cool.

Love this simple and festive look.

Now, don't you just want to get out those candles and set the mood for a good time?
All pictures are from realsimple

Outside is in(side)

Well, it is obvious I am lover of all things from nature, woods, lichen, moss, plants, oh you name it, if it came from outside I want to try and bring it in.

By that I mean as art, decor, furnishings, textiles and that which surrounds me to make my space seem undefined (in terms of out and in) and to bring some peace and harmony from nature into my everyday inside living spaces. Here are some shots I enjoyed and thought I would share.
This freestanding teak bath was handmade by a boat builder, and I rather like the other surrounding touches of wood in the screen backdrop, stool and mat.
All pictures are from livingetc.

I love the influx of green in these pics, I mean the varying shades, and the different textures and lines.

I know there is just an outpouring of going 'green' these days...I don't want to inundate with that idea but I just happen to be quite fond of the color green.

What about you? Are you liking any of these spaces?

Have a very happy evening, until we meet again...soon.

KZ